Songs

Each post here follows one hit single through the 70s, with the chart numbers behind it. For the biggest songs of the decade, see best songs of the 70s, or browse every post below.

Songs

70s Slow Songs: 30 Ballads to Play Start to Finish

70s slow songs: 30 chart-checked ballads from 1970 to 1979, from Bridge Over Troubled Water to Dust in the Wind, with a player that runs the whole list.

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Songs

70s Dance Songs: 30 Tracks Built for the Floor

70s dance songs: 30 chart-checked tracks from 1970 to 1979, from Night Fever to Dancing Queen, with a player that runs the whole list.

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Songs

70s Party Songs: 30 Dance Floor Hits You Can Play Here

70s party songs: 30 chart-verified dance floor hits from 1970 to 1979, with the story behind each and a player that runs the whole list.

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Songs

70s Road Trip Songs: 30 Tracks for the Open Road

70s road trip songs: 30 chart-checked tracks from 1970 to 1979, from Country Roads to Radar Love, with a player that runs the whole list.

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Songs

70s Love Songs: 30 Classics You Can Play Right Here

70s love songs: 30 chart-verified classics from 1970 to 1979, with the story behind each and a player that runs the whole list.

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Fleetwood Mac members Mick Fleetwood, Christine McVie, John McVie, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham in a 1977 Rumours advertisement, the band behind Go Your Own Way

Songs

Go Your Own Way: Buckingham's Breakup Song Explained

Go Your Own Way by Fleetwood Mac: Lindsey Buckingham's breakup song, the Rumours recording, the No. 10 peak, the Nicks lyric fight and the covers.

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Our 6 latest Songs posts are above. Every Songs post (92 total) is listed below.

70s Slow Songs: 30 Ballads to Play Start to Finish — 70s slow songs: 30 chart-checked ballads from 1970 to 1979, from Bridge Over Troubled Water to Dust in the Wind, with a player that runs the whole list.
70s Dance Songs: 30 Tracks Built for the Floor — 70s dance songs: 30 chart-checked tracks from 1970 to 1979, from Night Fever to Dancing Queen, with a player that runs the whole list.
70s Party Songs: 30 Dance Floor Hits You Can Play Here — 70s party songs: 30 chart-verified dance floor hits from 1970 to 1979, with the story behind each and a player that runs the whole list.
70s Road Trip Songs: 30 Tracks for the Open Road — 70s road trip songs: 30 chart-checked tracks from 1970 to 1979, from Country Roads to Radar Love, with a player that runs the whole list.
70s Love Songs: 30 Classics You Can Play Right Here — 70s love songs: 30 chart-verified classics from 1970 to 1979, with the story behind each and a player that runs the whole list.
Go Your Own Way: Buckingham's Breakup Song Explained — Go Your Own Way by Fleetwood Mac: Lindsey Buckingham's breakup song, the Rumours recording, the No. 10 peak, the Nicks lyric fight and the covers.
Annie's Song: John Denver's Ski-Lift Love Song — Annie's Song by John Denver: written in about ten minutes on an Aspen ski lift, two weeks at No. 1 in 1974, its chart peaks and the covers.
Boogie Wonderland: The Song Behind the Disco Dance Floor — Boogie Wonderland by Earth, Wind & Fire and The Emotions: the Allee Willis lyric, the No. 6 peak, the Grammy and the 1996 hit built on it.
I'll Be There Jackson 5: Five Weeks at No. 1 in 1970 — I'll Be There Jackson 5: five weeks at No. 1 in 1970, Michael and Jermaine on lead, the chart peaks and Mariah Carey's 1992 No. 1 cover.
Mandy Barry Manilow: The Song That Began as Brandy — Mandy Barry Manilow: how Brandy became his first No. 1, the Clive Davis rewrite, the chart peaks and the Westlife cover that topped the UK in 2003.
Comfortably Numb: Waters, Gilmour and the Strings Fight — Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd: Gilmour's 1978 demo, Waters's 1977 tranquilizer shot, the strings row and how the song lives on in covers.
If You Leave Me Now: Chicago's First Number One — If You Leave Me Now was Chicago's first number one in 1976. Peter Cetera on the writing, the strings, two Grammys, the charts and the covers.
Telephone Line ELO: How Jeff Lynne Made the Ring Tone — Telephone Line ELO: how Jeff Lynne recreated a US ring tone on a Moog, its No. 7 Hot 100 peak, 23 weeks on the chart and the covers.
You're the One That I Want: Grease's Biggest Hit — You're the One That I Want: how John Farrar wrote the Grease duet, nine weeks at No. 1 in the UK, one week on the Hot 100 and the covers.
Rhiannon Fleetwood Mac: A Novel, a Myth and a Trance — Rhiannon Fleetwood Mac began with a novel character, not a myth. Stevie Nicks on the name, the studio splices, the 1976 charts and the live trance.
We've Only Just Begun: From a Bank Ad to Number Two — We've Only Just Begun began as a bank ad. See how Richard Carpenter found it, how the 1970 single was made, and why it stopped at number two.
Ain't No Mountain High Enough: Diana Ross's 1970 Hit — Ain't No Mountain High Enough explained: the Ashford and Simpson song, the Gaye and Terrell original, and Diana Ross's 3 weeks at No. 1.
Kashmir Led Zeppelin: The 8:37 Song, Explained — Kashmir Led Zeppelin explained: the Moroccan drive behind the lyric, the DADGAD riff, the orchestra, the 2007 chart run and the 1994 court case.
Midnight Train to Georgia by Gladys Knight: The Story — Midnight Train to Georgia explained: a song born as Midnight Plane to Houston, a one-take vocal, two weeks at No. 1 and a Grammy.
Take Me Home Country Roads: John Denver's 1971 Hit — Take Me Home Country Roads explained: a Dec. 30, 1970 writing finish, a No. 2 Hot 100 peak, a West Virginia state song and big covers.
That's the Way I Like It by KC and the Sunshine Band — That's the Way I Like It explained: a 1975 Casey and Finch hit, two non-consecutive weeks at No. 1, a toned-down single and covers.
Tiny Dancer: Elton John's 1971 Song, Explained — Tiny Dancer explained: the Bernie Taupin lyric, the Almost Famous scene, its modest No. 41 peak in 1972 and the 5x platinum climb since.
25 or 6 to 4: What Chicago's Song Title Really Means — 25 or 6 to 4 is a clock time, not a code. How Robert Lamm wrote it at 3:35 a.m., the wah-wah solo, the number four peak and the ban in Singapore.
Copacabana Barry Manilow: The Story Behind Lola and Tony — Copacabana Barry Manilow explained: the Rio hotel idea, Lola and Tony, the No. 8 peak, a Grammy and the 1985 TV musical it grew into.
Hopelessly Devoted to You: Grease Ballad Written Mid-Shoot — Hopelessly Devoted to You: how John Farrar wrote Sandy's Grease ballad mid-shoot, its No. 3 Hot 100 peak, the Oscar loss and Sonia's 1994 cover.
I Am Woman by Helen Reddy: The Story Behind the Anthem — I Am Woman by Helen Reddy explained: who wrote it, the 1972 re-recording, one week at No. 1, a 1973 Grammy and a 2025 registry honor.
I Want You Back: Jackson 5's First No. 1, Michael at 11 — I Want You Back: how The Corporation wrote the Jackson 5's first No. 1 with 11-year-old Michael Jackson on lead, plus its charts, awards and covers.
Joy to the World Three Dog Night: The Story Behind the Hit — Joy to the World Three Dog Night explained: Hoyt Axton's tune, a band that said no, six weeks at No. 1 and the number one song of 1971.
Mr. Blue Sky: How ELO Wrote It After Two Weeks of Gloom — Mr. Blue Sky: how Jeff Lynne wrote ELO’s sunny hit in a Swiss chalet, its No. 35 Hot 100 peak, UK top 6 and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 revival.
September Earth Wind and Fire: The No. 8 Hit That Stayed — September Earth Wind and Fire peaked at No. 8 yet became their anthem. The writers, the 21st night lyric, charts, certifications and covers.
Wish You Were Here Pink Floyd: Radio Intro and a Lost Friend — Wish You Were Here Pink Floyd: the radio-tuned intro, Syd Barrett's 1975 studio visit, Grappelli's buried violin and the album that hit number one.
Close to You: Who Recorded It Before the Carpenters — Close to You was cut by Richard Chamberlain, Dionne Warwick and Dusty Springfield first. How the Carpenters made it a 1970 number one.
Dreams Fleetwood Mac: Written in 10 Minutes, Alive in 2020 — Dreams Fleetwood Mac took Stevie Nicks 10 minutes to write and one week at number one. How it was recorded and why a 2020 skateboard video revived it.
Rocket Man Elton John: The Hit That Peaked at No. 6 — Rocket Man Elton John never hit number one. See its No. 6 Hot 100 peak, the Bradbury story behind it, and the Shatner and Kate Bush covers.
Stairway to Heaven: Every Section of the 8:02 Explained — Stairway to Heaven, timed section by section: the Welsh cottage, the studios, the Belfast debut, the radio record and the Taurus case.
70s Number One Hits: Every Billboard #1, 1970 to 1979 — All 253 70s number one hits on the Billboard Hot 100, from Raindrops to Escape. Sort by weeks at #1, see who ruled the decade, and play each one.
70s One Hit Wonders: 147 Verified, One Chart Hit Each — 147 real 70s one hit wonders, verified against this site's own Billboard data and each act's full career chart history. Sortable, with plays.
Tragedy Bee Gees: The 1979 Original Behind Steps' Cover — Tragedy Bee Gees blended disco with a country chord change in 1979, then Steps sent it back to number one in 1998 with an even bigger seller.
Too Much Heaven: The Bee Gees Ballad That Bumped Le Freak — Too Much Heaven knocked Le Freak off number one for two weeks in January 1979, and the Bee Gees gave every dollar of it to UNICEF. Here's the real story.
How Deep Is Your Love: The Bee Gees Ballad Almost Given Away — How Deep Is Your Love was written for Yvonne Elliman, not the Bee Gees themselves. See the real chart run, the Grammy win and the 1983 lawsuit.
Living for the City: Stevie Wonder's Grammy-Winning Hit — Living for the City hit #8, not #45. See Stevie Wonder's real chart peak, the Grammy it won, and the voices behind its spoken-word story.
Heartache Tonight: The Eagles' Last Trip to Number One — Heartache Tonight gave the Eagles their fifth and final Billboard #1. See how a phone call with Bob Seger built the chorus in minutes.
MacArthur Park Donna Summer: Her First Number One Hit — MacArthur Park Donna Summer turned a 1968 Jimmy Webb ballad into a 17-minute disco suite, and her real first Hot 100 number one, not her third.
Night Fever: The Bee Gees Song That Renamed a Movie — Night Fever gave Saturday Night Fever its own title. The Bee Gees song spent eight weeks at #1 on the Hot 100 and won a Grammy along the way.
The Name of the Game ABBA: The Unfinished Film Song — The Name of the Game ABBA started as an unfinished film cue called A Bit of Myself. See how it became a UK #1 and a US near-miss in 1977-78.
Sir Duke Stevie Wonder: The Tribute That Topped the Charts — Sir Duke Stevie Wonder honored Duke Ellington and hit #1. The chart-verified story behind the Songs in the Key of Life classic.
Last Dance: The Song That Won Donna Summer Her First Grammy — Last Dance won Donna Summer an Oscar, a Golden Globe and her first Grammy from one movie cue. The chart-verified story behind 1978's biggest hit.
New Kid in Town: The Eagles' Song About Being Replaced — New Kid in Town gave the Eagles their first Hotel California hit, written after seeing Bruce Springsteen and built on the fear of being replaced.
You Should Be Dancing: Where Barry Gibb's Falsetto Began — You Should Be Dancing gave Barry Gibb his first falsetto lead and the Bee Gees a disco #1, with a surprise cameo from Stephen Stills on timbales.
Take a Chance on Me: ABBA's Jogging-Born #1 Hit — Take a Chance on Me hit #1 in the UK and #3 in the US. The real story behind ABBA's jogging-born title and its grueling 40-track vocal session.
Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain: Nelson's First No. 1 — Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain gave Willie Nelson his first number one as a performer in 1975, a Fred Rose cover Columbia nearly rejected as a demo.
Flash Light Parliament: The Bass Line That Wasn't a Bass — Flash Light Parliament built its famous bass line on three chained Minimoog synths, not a bass guitar, and rode it to Casablanca's first R&B No. 1.
In the Navy Village People: The Song the Navy Almost Used — In the Navy Village People peaked at #3 on the Hot 100 in 1979, the disco hit the real US Navy almost used for recruitment before backing out.
Time in a Bottle Jim Croce: The Number One He Never Heard — Time in a Bottle Jim Croce wrote in 1970 for his unborn son became his second number one, three months after he died. The real chart story.
Bad Girls: The Donna Summer Hit a Police Stop Inspired — Bad Girls held number one for five weeks in 1979. The real Sunset Boulevard incident that inspired Donna Summer's biggest Hot 100 hit, verified.
I Will Always Love You Dolly Parton: She Said No to Elvis — I Will Always Love You Dolly Parton wrote in 1973 hit #1 country twice. In between, she turned down Elvis Presley's manager. The real chart story.
Marvin Gaye Let's Get It On: A Number One That Got Bumped — Marvin Gaye Let's Get It On hit number one twice in September 1973, interrupted by Helen Reddy. The real songwriting and chart story, verified.
You Are the Sunshine of My Life: Written After the Divorce — You Are the Sunshine of My Life hit #1 in 1973, recorded the same summer Stevie Wonder's marriage to Syreeta Wright ended. The real story, chart-verified.
ABBA Knowing Me Knowing You: A #1 in Five Countries — ABBA Knowing Me Knowing You topped the charts in five countries in 1977, but stalled at number 14 in the US. The real chart and studio story.
Al Green Tired of Being Alone: The Fifth-Try Hit — Al Green Tired of Being Alone reached number 11 in 1971, but four earlier singles from the same album missed first. The real writing and chart story.
Best of My Love: The Number One the Eagles Didn't Want — Best of My Love gave the Eagles their first number one in 1975, a soft country ballad the band and their own label almost buried first.
Jive Talkin: The Bridge Sound That Rebuilt the Bee Gees — Jive Talkin came from tires on a Miami bridge and a misheard word. It ended a four-year US chart drought for the Bee Gees in 1975.
Somebody to Love: The Song Freddie Mercury Wrote Alone — Somebody to Love was Freddie Mercury's solo composition, built to sound like a 100-voice gospel choir from three singers. Real 1976 chart data inside.
Give Up the Funk Parliament: A Chorus Sampled 700+ Times — Give up the funk Parliament turned a three-part jazz structure into a Gold single, then became one of hip-hop's most sampled tracks ever.
You and I Rick James: Three Charts, One 8-Minute Song — You and I Rick James recorded as an 8:04 studio jam, then cut to 3:08 for radio. It still hit the Hot 100, R&B, and disco charts at once.
Georgia on My Mind: Willie Nelson's Surprise No. 1 — Georgia on My Mind gave Willie Nelson a country number one from an album Columbia didn't want him to make. Here's the real Stardust story.
James Brown Get on the Good Foot: Birth of Breakdancing — James Brown Get on the Good Foot hit #18 in 1972, went gold, and sparked the dance that became breakdancing. The real chart and dance history.
Song YMCA: The Studio Question That Built a Disco Anthem — Song YMCA started with a producer who didn't know what the letters meant, then went on to a National Recording Registry induction decades later.
Bad Bad Leroy Brown: The Only Number One Jim Croce Saw Hit — Bad Bad Leroy Brown topped the Hot 100 for two weeks in July 1973, the only number one Jim Croce lived to see before his death that September.
Carole King It's Too Late: Written by a Total Stranger — Carole King It's Too Late spent five weeks at number one in 1971, but a poet she barely knew wrote its breakup lyrics in a single day.
Jolene: The Chart Record It Finally Broke, 52 Years Later — Jolene peaked at #60 in 1974. Fifty-two years later, after Dolly Parton's death, it finally broke the Billboard Top 40.
Superstition Stevie Wonder: The Hit He Tried to Give Away — Superstition Stevie Wonder wrote as a favor for Jeff Beck. Motown kept it instead, and it became his first Grammy-winning number one.
Donna Summer Hot Stuff: The Rock Turn That Won a Grammy — Donna Summer Hot Stuff hit number one, lost it to the Bee Gees, then took it back. The $35 guitar and Grammy story behind the 1979 disco-rock hit.
What's Going On Marvin Gaye: The Accidents That Made It — What's Going On Marvin Gaye built into a classic began as a Four Tops reject. A warm-up sax take, a mixing slip, and a bassist on the floor did the rest.
Al Green Let's Stay Together: The Song He Didn't Want to Cut — Al Green Let's Stay Together topped the pop chart for one week and the soul chart for nine. Green argued for two days before he would record it.
Killer Queen: Freddie Mercury's First Real US Hit — Killer Queen was Freddie Mercury's deliberate bid for a pop hit, a call girl character study that finally broke Queen in America.
One of These Nights: The Eagles' Turn Away From Country — One of These Nights gave the Eagles a second number one and their first chart-topping album, then the lineup that recorded it fell apart.
ABBA Waterloo: The Song Written to Win, Not to Chart — The real story behind ABBA Waterloo: the scrapped title, the tax law behind the costumes, and the Eurovision rule that let them sing in English.
How Can You Mend a Broken Heart: Written in Under an Hour — How Can You Mend a Broken Heart, the Bee Gees' first US number one, was written in an hour and never even charted in Britain.
Bridge Over Troubled Water: The Gospel Line Simon Paid For — Bridge over troubled water hit #1 for six weeks in 1970. Paul Simon borrowed its title from a gospel song, then paid the singer $1,000 for it.
I Will Survive: A B-Side Nobody Wanted to Release — I will survive was a B-side the label refused to push, written by a songwriter who'd just been fired, recorded by a singer healing from spinal surgery.
Seasons in the Sun: The Beach Boys Killed It First — Seasons in the sun started as a dark French song about a dying, betrayed man. The Beach Boys recorded it, scrapped it, and called it too wimpy to keep.
Stayin Alive: Built on a Magazine Story That Was Fake — Stayin alive was written for a movie based on a magazine article its own writer later admitted he made up. Now doctors use it to teach CPR.
We Will Rock You: How Queen Built a Stadium Chant — The real story behind We Will Rock You: the crowd that inspired it, the drum-riser recording trick, and how Queen built rock's biggest stadium chant.
Gimme Gimme Gimme: The ABBA Song America Never Got — Gimme Gimme Gimme hit number one in five countries in 1979. Atlantic Records canceled its US single release outright. Here's the real reason why.
Mamma Mia Song: The Story ABBA Almost Gave Away — The mamma mia song almost went to another band, then knocked Bohemian Rhapsody off the UK's number one spot. Its real US peak tells a different story.
Take It Easy: The Song Jackson Browne Couldn't Finish — Take it easy started as Jackson Browne's unfinished song. Glenn Frey completed it, and one line built a real park in Winslow, Arizona.
Dancing Queen: The Song ABBA Played for a King First — Discover the real story behind Dancing Queen: the secret royal wedding premiere, the year-long wait, and how it became ABBA's only US #1.
Hotel California: What It Really Means (And What It Doesn't) — Discover the real story behind Hotel California: what Don Henley actually says it means, and why the Satanism theories are wrong.
Bohemian Rhapsody: The Song Nobody Wanted to Release — Discover the real story behind Bohemian Rhapsody: the label that refused it, the DJ who leaked it, and the four hours that made the video.
Don McLean American Pie: The Real Story Behind It — Discover the real story behind Don McLean American Pie: the 1959 plane crash, the joke he told for decades, and what he finally revealed.
Best Songs of the 70s: The Ultimate Decade Ranking — The 100 best songs of the 70s, ranked by actual year-end Billboard chart position, 1970 to 1979. Sort by song, artist or year, and play each one.